The parents of a baby who died just hours after a rash was spotted under his arm have paid tribute to their ‘perfect little boy’.

Fourteen-month-old Arthur Keeling had been happily playing with his two sisters at their Silverdale home when he developed a slight temperature and became tired.

Parents Georgia and Darren soothed him with Calpol. But it was only when changing his nappy that they noticed the purple rash and rang 111 for medical advice.

Twenty-seven-year-old Darren said: “They sent an ambulance to us. The paramedics took him to hospital on blue lights.”

At Royal Stoke University Hospital , little Arthur had fluids pumped into him and was put on a machine to help him breathe. After taking a dramatic turn for the worse, doctors had to revive him several times using CPR.

It turned out he had sepsis and the infection had spread rapidly.

“He just wasn’t strong enough to pull through,” said Darren. “The doctors fought for at least one-and-a-half hours to save him in intensive care.”

Baby Arthur Keeling pictured with his parents Darren and Georgia and sisters Martha and Nancy

Arthur died on January 14 and his family got to say their final goodbyes at The Donna Louise .

They are now raising funds for the hospice and have so far collected more than £1,000. Another GoFundMe page has also been set up by Arthur’s uncle Dan to help cover the funeral costs.

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Arthur, who had been a healthy baby up until he developed sepsis, was known for his happy nature.

“He could brighten up anyone’s day,” added customer services worker Darren. “He had a cheeky smile on his face that said it all. We used to call him a little chunky monkey.

“He was too perfect. He would sleep all through the night. He loved his food and was always happy.”

Darren and 22-year-old Georgia are now trying to come to terms with their son’s death. Their twin daughters, two-year-old Martha and Nancy, have also been missing their brother.

“They know Arthur isn’t here and they ask for him. They say ‘he’s in the sky’. I’m grateful my daughters aren’t that age to go through all that emotional knowing.”

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The family now hope to raise awareness of sepsis so other parents look for tell-tale signs. Symptoms can include a child’s skin being abnormally cold to touch, a mottled or bluish appearance, a rash that doesn’t fade when pressed, lethargy, vomiting and rapid breathing.

Darren will be attending today’s Stoke City match against Preston, where he will be wearing a specially designed ‘Arthur 1 son’ shirt.